Originaire de Fife, en Ecosse, et reconnu comme l un des meilleurs ecrivains de sa generation, Iain Banks a publie une trentaine de romans best-sellers, dont le celebre "cycle de La Culture" et "Transition", publie chez Calmann-Levy en 2012. Repute pour ses ouvrages de science-fiction, il est l auteur d une dizaine de romans litteraires, tous salues par la critique. Il est decede en 2013.

Peter Kenny , educated at Birmingham and Oxford Universities , was employed by the National Coal Board (later British Coal), first as a research scientist then as manager of various engineering departments. At the time of his early retirement, he was British Coal s Reliability Manager, reporting to the Chief Engineer. Since then, he has taught mathematics and science subjects in colleges of further education, and as a private tutor. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Physics , Member of the Institute of Materials , a Chartered Physicist and a Chartered Engineer. He has published many technical papers and general interest articles. He holds the LAMDA Diploma in public speaking, which is also the subject of his bookA Handbook of Public Speaking for Scientist and Engineers.